Suspender-link.



No. 692,595; Patantqd'Fe'b. 4,1902.

' a. .1. BALLIETT.

SUSPENDER LINK.

(Apphcl-tlon filed Nov 26 1900) No Model.)

@Vihwon: I

N ms warns on. PncnaLrrHa, WASHINOYON a c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BYRON J. BALLIETT, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO.

SUSPENDER-LINK.

SPEGIFIQATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,595, dated February4, 1902.

' Application filed November 26, 1900. Serial No. 37,851- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

. Be it known that I, BYRON .I. BALLIETT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Mans field, in the county of Richland and State ofOhio, (whose post-office address is Mansfield, Ohio,) have invented anew and useful Improvement in Suspender-Links, of which the following isa specification;

My invention relates to an improvement in suspenders, and moreparticularly to a device pertaining to that class of suspenders whichbear on rollers or pulleys; and it consists of a link connecting thefront and back straps of the suspenders, on the cross-bars of which linkare journaled rollers of such shape that the Suspender-straps are keptand retained in a central position thereon.

The objects attained by my invention are a reduction in the frictioncaused by the movement of the straps back and forth with the movementsof the body and an equalization of the strain brought to bear on thestraps ir respective of the movements or position of the body of theperson wearing suspenders provided with my improvement and also toprovide a means by which the straps are kept centered on the rollers ofthe link, permitting the straps to slide freely over the crown-rollerswithout coming in contact with the link, thus avoiding undue frictionand wear of the suspenders. 7

It is well known by those skilled in the art of manufacturing suspendersthat the link connections heretofore have been defective in theseparticulars, for when the position of the body is changed the strapshave a tendency to slide in opposite directions, the effect of which isto bring the edges of the straps in contact with the links, causing thestraps to bend and wedge, retarding-their free movement and causing themto wear prematurely. Having in view these defects in the construc tionof the ordinary link connections, I have devised an improvement whichprevents the above defects and provides a novel, inexpensive, andpractical device.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a pair ofsuspenders provided with my improved link connection. Fig.2 is a planview of the link, the crown-rollers being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3is a detail view of one of the rollers applied to the link,

and Fig. at is a detail showing the shape of the blank from which thecrown-roller is rollednected at their ends by the end bars D D.

The edges of the cross-bars maybe left square .or pressed round, asdesired. Upon these cross-bars C O C- are journaled crown-rollers E E,which revolve thereon as the suspenderstraps, which bear upon therollers, move to conform to the movements of the body, and thecrown-rollers revolve'freely on the crossbars and between the end bars DD of the link. These crown-rollers are rolled from elliptical blanks ofmetal, the ends of which are cut inwardly. The rollers if straightenedout would present the appearance of a flattened blank, as shown in theupper view of Fig. 4. These blanks so shaped are rolled into rollers byany suitable means, and the finished article resembles the lower View ofFig. 4. The rollers are hollow and bear upon the cross-bars, upon whichthey are journaled only at their ends, whereby a great deal of frictionbetween the rollers and the cross bars is obviated. These rollers areseparate from this link, being formed of an independent piece of metal,and may be removed therefrom by forcing apart the meeting edges. Theserollers act as automatic centering antifriction devices for the strapsof the suspenders.

The back strap of the suspenderis attached to cross-bar C by looping thestrap to form an eyelet.

The link-strap F is attached at its upper ends to the right and leftshoulder-straps F and F, forming a straight loop passing under roller E.The other link-strap F is attached to the under side of shoulder-strap Fat one end and passing under roller E is. secured to the upper side ofshoulder-strap F When motion is transmitted to either linkstrap bymovements of the body, the straps run on the center ofthe rollers, owingto their peculiar confirmation, and are thereby prevented from engagingwith the sides of the link itself, which would not only retard itsmovements, but quickly wear it out.

My improvement may be applied to the front straps of a suspender withoutdeviating from the principle involved, and many other slight changesmight be made in the form and arrangement of the several parts describedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence Ido not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth;but, I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Asuspender provided with alink, crown rollers journaled on the linkand straps pass in g over the crown-rollers whereby the straps are keptconstantly centered during their movements and prevented from contactwith the sides of the link.

2. Asuspender provided with a link, crownrollers formed fromelliptically-shaped blanks of sheet metal journaled on the link, andsuspender-straps passing over the rollers and constantly retained in acentral position thereby which permits a freely-sliding movement of thestraps to accommodate the movements of the wearer at the same timepreventing the straps from contact with the link.

3. A suspending device provided with a link composed of a plurality ofcross-bars, and end bars connecting the cross-bars, hollow crown-rollersjournaled on the cross-bars, the rollers bearing on the cross-bars onlyat their extreme ends, and straps passing under the rollers which strapsare centered by the crownrollers, the latter reducing the amount offriction and wear on the straps by preventing their contact with thelink proper.

at. The combination with a frame comprisin g a plurality of cross-bars,and end bars connecting them, of hollow crown-rollers mounted on one ormore of said cross-bars, said crown-rollers formed each of a blank of-sheet metal, the side edges of which are approximately elliptical inform and the opposite ends incurved, the roller so formed that theelliptical side edges lie against each other in a straight line wherebythe body of the roller is given a suitable convexity and the ends onlyof the rollers bear upon the bars on which the rollers are mounted toturn, the convex surface of the roller having the elfect of throwing theobjects drawn over them toward the center.

Signed by me at Mansfield, Ohio, this 15th day of November, 1900.

' BYRON J. BALLIE'IT.

\Vitnesses:

ALLIE AUNGST, H. \VALTER MATEER.

